Child seat

ABSTRACT

A safety seat for children including a seat surface portion ( 10 ) is made in an air cushion structure expanding due to an injection of air. A back rest reclining portion ( 20 ) connected to the seat surface portion ( 10 ) is formed in a vest shape so as to fix the child the safety seat. An air cushion ( 23 ) is mounted to the back rest reclining portion ( 20 ). It is possible to fold up the seat surface portion ( 10 ) and the back rest reclining portion ( 20 ) by taking the air out. In spite of the flexible structure, which can be easily transferred and stored, it is possible to allow a child to sit at a high position and prevent a cooped-up feeling.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a safety seat for children that isattached to a seat of a motor vehicle and protects a child from animpact, an external discharge from a vehicle or the like at a time ofcollision.

PRIOR ART

Importance of safety seats for children is a common recognition in allthe countries in the world, and in our country as well, an amendment ofRoad Traffic Law that includes such obligations for wearing a safetyseat for children went into effect in April, 2000. Together therewith,there has been developed various kinds of safety seats for children,however, in view of the necessity to meet safety standards, basicstructures thereof are substantially common.

That is, most of the safety seats for children are provided with aseat-shaped main body portion obtained by combining a seat surfaceportion and a back rest reclining portion so as to make it compact incorrespondence to a body shape of the child, and are structured suchthat the main body portion is mounted on a base portion except a partthereof. Then, by using a seat belt, the main body portion is fixed to aseat of a motor vehicle, and the child is fixed by a belt provided inthe main body portion.

It is needless to say that the safety seat for children having such abasic structure has high safety, however, on the contrary, since a sizeand a weight of the safety seat for children are increased, there areproblems that it is not easily attached to and detached from a seat of amotor vehicle, as well as such a safety seat for children is not easilystored and carried.

As a structure for solving the problems in view of handling, there hasbeen developed a wear type safety seat for children. This is structuredsuch that a crotch belt or the like is attached to a vest type main bodyportion so as to obtain a fixing function to the child, as well as aseat belt of the motor vehicle is passed through a back portion thereofso as to obtain a fixing function to the seat.

It is needless to say that the safety seat for children of such aflexible structure has a greater handling property. Further, it isallowed by the safety standard and has no problem in view of safety.However, in accordance with the safety seat for children of this kind,the child directly sits on a seat surface of the motor vehicle, and inmost cases, an eye line is disposed below a window and screened by adoor. As a result, the child has a great cooped-up feeling.

First of all, the safety seat for children restrains the child withoutrelation to the type thereof and gives not a little uncomfortablefeeling, so that it is said to be a great problem to give a cooped-upfeeling so as to increase an uncomfortable feeling.

Further, the wear type safety seat for children applied a great pressureto shoulder portions of the child at a time of collision and in somecases there is a risk that a clavicle is broken.

The present invention is made by taking the matters mentioned above intoconsideration, and an object of the present invention is to provide asafety seat for children which can of course secure a high safety, isexcellent in a handling property and can widely reduce an uncomfortablefeeling of a child.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the object mentioned above, a safety seat forchildren according to the present invention, comprising: a seat surfaceportion having a flexible structure; and a back rest reclining portionhaving a flexible structure, characterized in that at least the seatsurface portion among the seat surface portion and the back restreclining portion is constituted by an airtight bag body expanding dueto an injection of gas so as to form an air cushion, at least the backrest reclining portion among the seat surface portion and the back restreclining portion has a fixing mechanism with respect to a child, and atleast one of the seat surface portion and the back rest recliningportion has a fixing mechanism with respect to a seat of a motorvehicle.

In accordance with the safety seat for children according to the presentinvention, in spite that the seat surface portion and the back restreclining portion have the flexible structure, it is possible to sit thechild at a high position and it is possible to make an eye line high,whereby it is possible to remove a cooped-up feeling. Further, since atleast the back rest reclining portion among the seat surface portion andthe back rest reclining portion has the fixing mechanism with respect tothe child, it is possible to secure a necessary safety.

The fixing mechanism with respect to the child can be constituted by awear type, preferably a vest shaped wear type fixing portion.Accordingly, it is possible to securely fix the child.

The wear type fixing portion can be structured such that an air cushionis provided in at least a part thereof, preferably in at least bothshoulder portions, and more preferably in a portion extending from bothshoulder portions to a back. Accordingly, it is possible to increase animpact absorbing property and improve a safety. Further, a sittingfeeling can be improved.

The wear type fixing portion can be combined with a crotch hanging typefixing belt. Accordingly, it is possible to more securely fix the child.

The wear type fixing portion can be combined with a pants type fixingportion. Accordingly, it is possible to more securely fix the child.

The wear type fixing portion can be commonly used as the back restreclining portion. Accordingly, a structure can be simplified.

The wear type fixing portion commonly used as the back rest recliningportion can be structured so as to be attached to and detached from theseat surface portion. Accordingly, it is possible to improve a mountingproperty to the child.

The fixing mechanism with respect to the child may be a multi-pointsupporting type fixing belt. The fixing mechanism with respect to theseat of the motor vehicle is provided in at least one of the seatsurface portion and the back rest reclining portion, however, in view ofpreventing the back rest reclining portion from being bent forward so asto be fallen down at a time of being exposed to an impact, it ispreferable to provide it in the portion including the back restreclining portion, and in the case of using the wear type fixingportion, it is preferable to provide it therein.

The seat surface portion and the back rest reclining portion can beconstituted by an airtight bag body. Accordingly, a sitting feeling canbe improved and a safety can be improved.

In this case, the seat surface portion and the back rest recliningportion may be structured so as to form a seat-shaped air cushion in astate that the gas is injected, or may be structured so as to form amat-shaped air cushion in a state that the gas is injected and to deformalong the seat surface and the back rest reclining portion in a state ofbeing mounted to the seat of the motor vehicle, thereby forming aseat-shaped air cushion. In the latter case, it is possible to be foldedparticularly in a compact size in a state that the air is taken out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a safety seat for children in accordancewith a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a used state of the safety seat forchildren.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a seat surface portion of the safetyseat for children.

FIG. 4(a) is a perspective view from a back surface side of the safetyseat for children and shows a state that a seat surface portion and aback rest reclining portion are separated.

FIG. 4 (b) is a schematic view of a stopper used at a time of mountingthe safety seat for children on a seat of a motor vehicle.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the back rest reclining portion of the safetyseat for children.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the back rest reclining portion.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of another back rest reclining portion.

FIG. 8 is a rear view of the back rest reclining portion.

FIG. 9(a) is a perspective view from a front surface side of a safetyseat for children in accordance with a second embodiment of the presentinvention, and FIG. 9(b) is a perspective view from a back surface sideof the safety seat for children.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state that a baby cushion ismounted to the safety seat for children.

FIG. 11 is a front view of a safety seat for children in accordance witha third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a front view showing a state that a fixing belt for thesafety seat for children is taken out.

FIG. 13 a front view showing a state that a baby cushion is mounted tothe safety seat for children.

FIG. 14 is a front view of a safety seat for children in accordance witha fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a front view showing a state that a fixing belt for thesafety seat for children is taken out.

FIG. 16(a) is a front view of a vest type fixing portion combined withthe safety seat for children and FIG. 16(b) is a rear view of the fixingportion.

FIG. 17(a) is a front view of a fixing belt combined with the fixingportion and FIG. 17(b) shows a state of being mounted to the fixingportion.

FIG. 18 are schematic views of a structure and a used state of a safetyseat for children in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the presentinvention, in which FIG. 18(a) shows a non-attached state, FIG. 18(b)shows an attached state and FIG. 18(c) shows an accommodated state.

FIG. 19 are schematic views of a structure and a used state of a safetyseat for children in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the presentinvention, in which FIG. 19(a) shows a non-attached state, FIG. 9(b)shows an attached state and FIG. 19(c) shows an accommodated state.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a bag for accommodating the safety seatfor children in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a sectional view of a seat surface portion of a safety seatfor children in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a state of opening a safety seat forchildren in accordance with an eighth embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 23 a perspective view showing a used state of the safety seat forchildren in accordance with the eighth embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a state of closing the safety seat forchildren in accordance with the eighth embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 25 is a sectional view of a state of closing the safety seat forchildren in accordance with the eighth embodiment of the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

10 SEAT SURFACE PORTION

20 BACK REST RECLINING PORTION

30 CROTCH HANGING TYPE FIXING BELT

40 PANTS TYPE FIXING PORTION

50 FIXING BELT

60 BABY CUSHION

70 AIRTIGHT BAG BODY

80 WEAR TYPE FIXING PORTION

90 SEAT BELT

100 STOPPER

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In accordance with the accompanying drawings, embodiments of theinvention will be described in detail.

FIGS. 1 to 6 show a first embodiment in accordance with the presentinvention, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a safety seat forchildren in accordance with the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is aperspective view showing a used state of the safety seat for children,FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a seat surface portion of the safetyseat for children, FIG. 4 are a perspective view from a back surfaceside of the safety seat for children and a schematic view of a stopper,FIG. 5 is a front view of the back rest reclining portion of the safetyseat for children, and FIG. 6 is a rear view of the back rest recliningportion.

The safety seat for children in accordance with the first embodiment is,as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, constituted by a seat surface portion 10having an air cushion structure, a wear type back rest reclining portion20 commonly used as a fixing portion, and a crotch hanging type fixingbelt 30 combined with the back rest reclining portion 20.

The seat surface portion 10 is, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, constitutedby a main body portion 11 which mainly receives a weight of a child, apair of first holding portions 12 and 12 protruding upward from bothside portions of the main body portion 11 and a comparatively thinsecond holding portion 13 extending upward from an end portion in a backsurface side of the main body portion 11, and is formed in such a manneras to surround a waist portion of the child from three directions. Then,these portions are constituted by an integrally formed airtight bagbody, and are expanded as illustrated by being injected with an air froman air injection port 14 provided on a front surface of the main bodyportion 11 so as to form an air cushion having a predetermined shape. Afastener 16 is attached in an upper edge portion of the second holdingportion 13 for the purpose of connecting to the back rest recliningportion 20.

The wear type back rest reclining portion 20 is of a front open vesttype. The back rest reclining portion 20 can be separated from the seatsurface portion 10, and can be integrally formed with the seat surfaceportion 10 by connecting a fastener 21 laterally mounted to a portion ofthe back to the fastener 16 of the seat surface portion 10. The fastener21 is provided a little above a lower end portion of the back restreclining portion 20. Accordingly, a lower portion of the back restreclining portion 20 overlaps on a front surface side of the secondholding portion 13 in the seat surface portion 10.

The vest type back rest reclining portion 20 has size adjusting belts 22in both shoulder portions, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. An air cushion 23is mounted to a portion extending from both shoulders of the back restreclining portion 20 to the back. The air cushion 23 is commonly used asa fixing mechanism with respect to the seat of the motor vehicle. Thatis, a seat belt 100 of the motor vehicle is passed between the main bodyof the back rest reclining portion 20 and the air cushion 23, and alateral band portion of the seat belt 100 is fixed to the main body ofthe back rest reclining portion 20 in both sides of the air cushion 23by a pair of stoppers 110 and 110, thereby fixing the safety seat forchildren to the seat of the motor vehicle. The stoppers 110 and 110 areformed, for example, in a hair pin shape, and are inserted into the mainbody of the back rest reclining portion 20, thereby fixing the lateralband portion of seat belt 100 to the main body thereof.

Both shoulder portions of the air cushion 23 are fixed by a surfacefastener 24 for the purpose of operating the size adjusting belt 22.Three (two in front, and one in the rear) belt loops 25, 25 and 25 areprovided in a lower portion of the back rest reclining portion 20 forthe purpose of mounting the fixing belt 30. Reference numeral 26 denotesan air injection port of the air cushion 23.

The crotch hanging type fixing belt 30 is structured such that twocrotch belts 32 and 32 are mounted to a waist belt 31, and is mounted tothe back rest reclining portion 20 by passing the waist belt 31 throughthe belt loops 24, 24 and 24.

A using method and a function of the safety seat for children inaccordance with the first embodiment are as follows.

The air is injected to the seat surface portion 10 of the safety seatfor children, and the seat surface portion 10 is expanded until apredetermined rigidity is obtained. The back rest reclining portion 20is connected to the seat surface portion 10. The fixing belt 30 ismounted on the back rest reclining portion 20 and the air is alsoinjected to the air cushion 23. In this state, the safety seat forchildren is mounted to the seat of the motor vehicle so as to be fixedthereto by using the seat belt 100 and the stoppers 110 and 110. In thiscase, the air may be injected by an air pump using a cigar lighter inthe motor vehicle as a power source.

Since the safety seat for children does not use a resin or metal flame,it is light, and it can be deformed even in a state that the air isinjected to the seat surface portion 10 or the air cushion 23.Accordingly, it is easy to mount on the seat.

A child is seated on the seat surface portion 10 of the safety seat forchildren mounted on the seat of the motor vehicle, the vest type backrest reclining portion 20 is worn on the child and the fixing belt 30 isattached. Accordingly, the child is fixed to the safety seat forchildren. The structure may be made such that before the back restreclining portion 20 is connected to the seat surface portion 10, theback rest reclining portion 20 is worn on the child and thereafter theback rest reclining portion 20 is connected to the seat surface portion10.

The safety seat for children has a fixing function with respect to thechild by itself, and the fixing function with respect to the child canbe also achieved by fixing the fixing belt 30. In accordance with thesestructures, the child is securely fixed to the safety seat for children.Further, since particularly the main body of the back rest recliningportion 20 in the safety seat for children is fixed to the seat of themotor vehicle, it is possible to prevent the main body of the back restreclining portion 20 from forward falling down at a time of receiving animpact.

Further, the child does not directly sit on the seat of the motorvehicle but sits on the seat surface portion 10. Accordingly, since aneye line of the child is made high and a cooped-up feeling is removed,an uncomfortable feeling is widely reduced in comparison with a case ofdirectly sitting on the seat. Since the seat surface portion 10 has acushion function in itself, a sitting feeling is good even when thecushion is not mounted thereon. In addition, since the air cushion 23 isalso provided in the back rest reclining portion 20, a sitting feelingbecomes further good, and an effect of reducing an impact at a time ofcollision, particularly an effect of protecting a clavicle of a child isincreased.

When taking the air out of the air cushion 23 of the seat surfaceportion 10 and the back rest reclining portion 20, the safety seat forchildren loses a rigidity so as to return its original flexible state.Accordingly, it is possible to fold up small, whereby it is possible toeasily store and transfer. That is, as shown in FIG. 20, the safety seatfor children from which the air is taken out may be stored in anexclusive bag 200. Reference numeral 210 in FIG. 20 denotes aaccommodating portion of an air pump for inflating the air cushion 23.

As mentioned above, in accordance with the safety seat for children ofthe first embodiment, although the seat surface portion 10 and the backrest reclining portion 20 are made in the flexible structure which canbe easily transferred and stored, it is possible to make the child sitat a high position, so that it is possible to widely reduce anuncomfortable feeling of the child.

Further, the back rest reclining portion 20 is commonly used as thefixing mechanism with respect to the child. Accordingly, it iscomparatively compact.

FIG. 7 is a front view of another back rest reclining portion and FIG. 8is a rear view of the back rest reclining portion.

A back rest reclining portion 20 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is differentfrom the back rest reclining portion 20 mentioned above in view that apants type fixing portion 40 is combined in place of the fixing belt 30.The pants type fixing portion 40 is integrated with the vest type backrest reclining portion 20 by a fastener 41. A waist belt 42 is mountedto the fixing portion 40. The other structures are the same as those ofthe back rest reclining portion 20 mentioned above, the same referencenumerals are given to the same elements as those of the back restreclining portion 20 mentioned above, and a description will be omitted.

The back rest reclining portion 20 also securely fixes the child on theseat surface portion 10 and the cushion 23 secures a high comfortablefeeling and a safety property. Further, since it is commonly used as thefixing mechanism, the structure becomes simple and a small size can beachieved.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are perspective views of a safety seat for children inaccordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

The safety seat for children in accordance with the second embodiment isdifferent from the safety seat for children in accordance with the firstembodiment in view that the back rest reclining portion 20 is made inthe same air cushion structure as that of the seat surface portion 10 soas to integrate with the seat surface portion 10.

The safety seat for children expands so as to form the same shape asthat of a general safety seat for children by injecting the air from theair injection port 14 provided in the seat surface portion 10. Then, inthe same manner as that of the general safety seat for children, itfixes the child by a five-point type fixing belt 50. Further, it isfixed to the seat of the motor vehicle by passing the seat belt 100through the belt loop provided on the back surface of the back restreclining portion 20 and directly fixing the lateral band portion of theseat belt 100 to the back surface of the back rest reclining portion 20by the stoppers 110 and 110.

A pair of holding portions 28 and 28 continuously provided in the firstholding portions 12 and 12 of the seat surface portion 10 are providedin the back rest reclining portion 20 so as to be positioned in bothsides of the main body portion 27. In the main body portion 27, throughholes 29 and 29 for the fixing belt 50 are formed in a plurality ofstages.

The safety seat for children in accordance with the second embodimentcan also make the child sit at a high position by the seat surfaceportion 10. Further, since the seat surface portion 10 and the back restreclining portion 20 are made in an air cushion structure, a sittingfeeling is good and it is light and can be deformed even in a state thatthe air is injected, so that it is easy to mount it. Further, whentaking the air out of the seat surface portion 10 and the back restreclining portion 20, it returns to the original flexible state and canbe folded up small, so that it is easy to store and transfer it.Furthermore, it is possible to securely fix the child via the fixingbelt 50 and it is possible to obtain an excellent safety.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, it is possible to mount an detachable babycushion 60.

FIG. 11 is a front view of a safety seat for children in accordance witha third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 12 is a front viewshowing a state of taking out a fixing belt in the safety seat forchildren, and FIG. 13 is a front view showing a state that a babycushion is mounted on the safety seat for children.

The safety seat for children in accordance with the third embodiment islargely different from the safety seats for children in accordance withthe previous embodiments in view that the seat surface portion 10 andthe back rest reclining portion 20 are formed by an airtight bag body 70formed in an air mat shape.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the airtight bag body 70 is formed in asubstantially rectangular shape and forms an air mat shape by injectingthe air from an air injection port 71. When mounting this on the seat ofthe motor vehicle by using the seat belt, it bends along the seatsurface and the back rest reclining portion, whereby the seat surfaceportion 10 and the back rest reclining portion 20 are formed. The childsitting on the seat surface portion 10 is fixed to the seat surfaceportion 10 and the back rest reclining portion 20 by the five-point typefixing belt 50. It is mounted on the seat of the motor vehicle by fixingthe back rest reclining portion 20 with the seat belt and the stopper inthe same manner as that of the safety seat for children in accordancewith the second embodiment.

A holding property of this bag body 70 is increased by setting a portionextending from the waist to the back in a portion corresponding to theback rest reclining portion 20 and further a portion with which a headis brought into contact to a thin portion 72 to which the air is notinjected, and protruding out a periphery thereof so as to form a holdingportion. Reference numeral 73 denotes a through hole of the fixing belt50.

The safety seat for children in accordance with the third embodiment canalso make the child sit at a high position by the seat surface portion10. Further, by making the back surface portion 10 and the back restreclining portion 20 in an air cushion structure, a sitting feelingbecomes good and it is light and can be deformed even in a state thatthe air is injected, so that it is easy mount to it. Further, since thesafety seat for children returns to the original flexible state so as tobe folded up small in a roll shape by taking the air out of the seatsurface portion 10 and the back rest reclining portion 20, it is easy tostore and transfer it. Furthermore, it is possible to securely fix thechild via the fixing belt 50 and an excellent safety property can beachieved.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13, it is possible to mount the detachablebaby cushion 60. Reference numeral 61 denotes an air injection port forthe baby cushion 60. That is, the baby cushion 60 is also made in an aircushion structure constituted by an airtight bag body.

FIG. 14 is a front view of a safety seat for children in accordance witha fourth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 15 is a front viewshowing a state that a fixing belt of the safety seat for children istaken out, FIG. 16 are a front view and a rear view of a vest typefixing portion combined with the safety seat for children, and FIG. 17is a front view of a fixing belt combined with the holding portion.

As shown in FIG. 14, the safety seat for children in accordance with thefourth embodiment is structured such that a wear type fixing portion 80having a vest shape is combined with the safety seat for children inaccordance with the third embodiment. The fixing portion 80 is furthercombined with the crotch hanging type fixing belt 30 (refer to FIG. 17).The bag body 70 is substantially same as the safety seat for children inaccordance with the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15. The fixingbelt 50 mounted thereto is modified to a three-point supporting typefrom the five-point supporting type.

The vest type fixing portion 80 is fixed to the fixing belt 50 inaccordance that the three-point supporting type fixing belt 50 passesthrough breast portions in both sides. The fixing portion 80 hassubstantially the same structure as that of the vest type back restreclining portion 20 mentioned above except for this point, and an aircushion 81 is mounted to the fixing portion 80 in a portion extendingfrom both shoulders to the back as shown in FIG. 16. The portioncorresponding to both shoulders in the air cushion 81 is fixed by asurface fastener 83 for the purpose of operating a size adjusting belt82 (refer to FIG. 17). The seat belt 100 is passed between the aircushion 81 and the main body of the fixing portion 80, and is fixed tothe main body of the fixing portion 80 by the stoppers 110 and 110.Three (two front and one back) belt loops 84, 84 and 84 are provided inthe lower portion of the fixing portion 80 for the purpose of mountingthe fixing belt 30. Reference numeral 85 denotes an air injection portof the air cushion 81.

The crotch hanging type fixing belt 30 is structured, as shown in FIG.17, such that two crotch belts 32 and 32 are mounted to the waist belt31, and is mounted to the vest type fixing portion 80, by passing thewaist belt 31 to the belt loops 84, 84 and 84.

The safety seat for children in accordance with the fourth embodimentcan more securely fix the child by combining the vest type fixingportion 80 with the crotch hanging type fixing belt 30. The effect ofthis combination is as described in the first embodiment.

FIG. 18 are schematic views of a structure and a used state of a safetyseat for children in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the presentinvention.

The safety seat for children in accordance with the fifth embodimentcorresponds to a simple type obtained by making the safety seat forchildren in accordance with the third embodiment simple, and is slightlydifferent therefrom in view of a structure of an airtight bag body 70and a structure of a fixing belt 50 mounted thereto.

That is, the airtight bag body 70 is made in a structure provided withseam portions vertically and transversely just as an air mat. Further,the fixing belt 50 is modified to the three-point supporting type fromthe five-point supporting type.

A mat-shaped air cushion is formed by injecting the air to the airtightbag body 70, and the seat surface portion 10 and the back rest recliningportion 20 are formed by mounting the mat-shaped air cushion on the seatof the motor vehicle by using the seat belt so as to bend it along theseat surface and the back rest, in the same manner as that of the safetyseat for children in accordance with the third embodiment. Further, amethod of fixing to the seat of the motor vehicle is also the same asthat of the safety seat for children in accordance with the thirdembodiment.

The safety seat for children in accordance with the fifth embodiment canalso make the child sit at a high position by the seat surface portion10 although it is a simple type. Further, since the seat surface portion10 and the back rest reclining portion 20 are made in the air cushionstructure, a sitting feeling is good and the safety seat for children islight and can be deformed even in a state that the air is injected, sothat it is easy mount to it. Further, since the safety seat for childrenreturns to the original flexible state by taking the air out of the seatsurface portion 10 and the back rest reclining portion 20 so as to befolded up small in a roll shape, it is easy to store and transfer it.Further, it is possible to securely fix the child via the fixing belt 50and an excellent safety property can be achieved.

FIG. 19 are schematic views of a structure and a used state of a safetyseat for children in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the presentinvention.

The safety seat for children in accordance with the sixth embodiment isdifferent from the safety seat for children in accordance with the fifthembodiment in a view that a fixing portion of a vest type and having awholly air cushion structure is integrally formed in a portioncorresponding to the back rest reclining portion 20 of the air matshaped bag body 70 and the fixing belt 50 is omitted.

This safety seat for children corresponds to a structure obtained bymaking the safety seat for children in accordance with the fifthembodiment more compact, however, the child can be effectively fixed insuch a state that a life jacket is worn thereon and can be alsoprotected.

FIG. 21 is a sectional view of a seat surface portion of a safety seatfor children in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the presentinvention.

In the safety seats for children in accordance with the first embodimentto the sixth embodiment, the air is injected to the portion forming tothe air cushion, however, in the safety seat for children in accordancewith the seventh embodiment, the structure is made such that the air isautomatically sucked without injecting the air.

That is, as shown in FIG. 12, a space containing an air such as anurethane or the like is formed in an inner portion and a material 90having a property intending to expand outward when being pressed andcompressed is injected. For example, in the case that the material 90mentioned above is injected in the inner portion of the seat surfaceportion 10, the seat surface portion 10 automatically expands up due toa force obtained at a time when the material 90 intends to expandoutward, by opening an air suction port (not shown) (which is the sameas the air injection port 14 in the embodiments mentioned above), and atthe same time, the air is sucked into the inner portion of the seatsurface portion 10. When the air suction port is closed in a state thatthe material 90 expands up, the seat surface portion 10 is formed.

The seat surface portion 10 formed in such the manner deforms along abody type of the sitting child so as to protect the child since anamount of injected air is less than that of the type injecting the air.Further, when forcibly injecting the air into the inner portion of theseat surface portion 10 before closing the air suction port, thestructure becomes the same as that of the structure in which the air isinjected. In this case, since the most of the air is sucked so as to beinjected into the inner portion of the seat surface portion 10, theamount of forcibly injected air is reduced, so that there is an effectthat an air injection can be easily executed.

As mentioned above, the structure is made such that the material 90having the space containing the air such as the urethane or the like andthe property intending to expanding outward at a time of being pressedand compressed is injected in the seat surface portion 10, however, itgoes without saying that it is injected not only in the seat surfaceportion 10 but also in the back rest reclining portion 20.

Next, an eighth embodiment of the present invention will be describedwith reference to FIGS. 22 to 25.

FIGS. 22 to 25 show the eighth embodiment in accordance with the presentinvention, in which FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing a used stateof a safety seat for children in accordance with the eighth embodiment,FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a state of opening the safety seat forchildren in accordance with the eighth embodiment, FIG. 24 is aperspective view of a state of closing the safety seat for children inaccordance with the eighth embodiment, and FIG. 25 is a sectional viewof a state of closing the safety seat for children in accordance withthe eighth embodiment.

The safety seat for children in accordance with the eighth embodiment isprovided with the seat surface portion 10 and the back rest recliningportion 20 constituted by a flexible structure, and is structured suchthat the seat surface portion 10 and the back rest reclining portion 20are constituted by an airtight bag body 91 which expands due to asuction of gas so as to form an air cushion, the back rest recliningportion 20 has a fixing mechanism 150 with respect to a child, the backrest reclining portion 20 is the safety seat for children having afixing mechanism with respect to the seat of the motor vehicle, and aslide fastener 160 corresponding to a connecting means for closing bothelements to each other is provided in the seat surface portion 10 andthe back rest reclining portion 20.

This safety seat for children is most different from the embodimentsmentioned above in a view that the seat surface portion 10 and the backrest reclining portion 20 are closed to each other at a time of notbeing used so as to be compact for being convenient at a time of beingcarried.

The seat surface portion 10 mentioned above is installed with a bag body91 in an inner portion thereof as shown in FIG. 25. A space containingthe air such as the urethane or the like is formed in an inner portionof the bag body 91, and simultaneously the material 90 having theproperty intending to expand outward when being pressed and compressedis injected therein. The same bag body 91 is also installed in the innerportion of the back rest reclining portion 20.

Further, the fixing mechanism 150 with respect to the child is providedin the back rest reclining portion 20 mentioned above. The fixingmechanism 150 has a back rest member 151 mounted to the back restreclining portion 20 by a surface fastener (not shown), a head portionprotecting member 152 detachably mounted to the back rest member 151 anda multi-point fixing belt 153.

A crotch rest portion 151A passing through a crotch portion of the childin a state of being mounted to the back rest reclining portion 20 isprovided in a lower end of the back rest member 151. The crotch restportion 151A corresponds to a portion to which a crotch belt 153Aconstituting the fixing belt 153 is inserted. In this case, in FIG. 23,since the crotch belt 153A is inserted into the crotch rest portion151A, it is shown by a broken line. The head portion protecting member152 is detachably mounted to an upper end of the back rest member 151 bya suitable means such as a hook, a surface fastener or the like.

Further, the fixing belt 150 has a pair of shoulder belts 153B havingengagement hooks 155 engaging with a lock member 154 mounted to a frontend of the crotch belt 153A, in addition to the crotch belt 153A. Theshoulder belt 153B is fixed to the back rest reclining portion 20 atfour points, and is structured such as to fix the child around the waistand around the shoulders at a time of being used.

Furthermore, the seat surface portion 10 and the back rest recliningportion 20 are structured such that they are connected at one end andthe slide fastener 160 is provided in an edge portion which is notconnected. Accordingly, the seat surface portion 10 and the back restreclining portion 20 are structured such as to be closed to each otherby closing the slide fastener 160.

Further, a strap 170 forming a carrying handle in a state that the seatsurface portion 10 and the back rest reclining portion 20 are closed toeach other by the slide fastener 160 is formed in a portion which is notconnected in the seat surface portion 10 and the back rest recliningportion 20. Accordingly, this safety seat for children forms a bag shapeas shown in FIG. 24 by closing the seat surface portion 10 and the backrest reclining portion 20 to each other by the slide fastener 160. Inthis case, at this time, the air is taken out of the bag body 91 and thehead portion protecting member 152 is taken out from the back restmember 151. The safety seat for children formed in the bag shape becomescompact and can be easily carried.

This safety seat for children is mounted to the seat of the motorvehicle in the following manner. That is, the seat belt of the motorvehicle, is passed between the back rest member 151 of the fixingmechanism 150 and the back rest reclining portion 20 to which the backrest member 151 is mounted with the surface fastener. The back restreclining portion 20 is pressed to the seat side by the seat belt, andthe back rest member 151 is pressed to the seat side by the child fixedby the fixing belt 150 fixed to the back rest reclining portion 20. Inthe manner mentioned above, the safety seat for children is mounted tothe seat of the motor vehicle. Accordingly, the fixing mechanism withrespect to the seat of the motor vehicle in the safety seat for childrenis commonly used as the fixing mechanism 150 with respect to the child.

In this case, it is preferable that a strap 170 is pressed to the backside of the seat surface portion 10 and the back rest reclining portion20 at a time of being used, so as to prevent it from entwining thechild. Accordingly, in FIGS. 22 and 23, the strap 170 does not appear.

In this case, in the embodiments mentioned above, in order to avoid anexpansion due to an increase of a room temperature of the motor vehiclein summer season, a pressure adjusting valve may be provided in theportion forming the air mat.

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

As described above, since the safety seat for children in accordancewith the present invention is provided with the seat surface portion andthe back rest reclining portion having the flexible structure, and atleast the seat surface portion among the seat surface portion and theback rest reclining portion is constituted by the airtight bag bodywhich expands due to the injection of the gas so as to form the aircushion, it is possible to make the child sit at the high position andit is possible to widely reduce the uncomfortable feeling of the childin spite that the back surface portion and the back rest recliningportion are made in the flexible structure which is easily transferredand stored. Further, since the sitting feeling is good and it ispossible to be deformed in spite of being light even in a state that theair is injected, it is easy to mount it.

Further, by mounting the air cushion to the shoulder portions, it ispossible to reduce the pressure applied to the shoulder portions at atime of collision and it is possible to previously prevent the clavicleor the like from being broken.

What is claimed is:
 1. A safety seat for children comprising a seatsurface portion and a back rest reclining portion, wherein at least theback rest reclining portion, between the seat surface portion and theback rest reclining portion, has a fixing mechanism with respect to achild, at least one of the seat surface portion and the back restreclining portion has a fixing mechanism with respect to a motor vehicleseat, and said seat surface portion and said back rest reclining portionare attached to each other on one side and adapted to be closed oropened along a joint of said seat surface portion and said back restreclining portion.
 2. The safety seat for children as claimed in claim1, wherein a connecting means is provided in an edge portion of saidseat surface portion and said back rest reclining portion to fix thesafety seat in a closed position.
 3. The safety seat for children asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the connecting means is a slide fastener. 4.The safety seat for children as claimed in claim 1, wherein a strap isprovided in said seat surface portion and/or said back rest recliningportion for carrying the safety seat in a closed position.
 5. The safetyseat for children as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least the seatsurface portion, between the seat surface portion and the back restreclining portion, is constituted by an airtight bag body expanding dueto an injection or suction of gas so as to form an air cushion.
 6. Thesafety seat for children as claimed in claim 5, wherein the airtight bagbody expanding due to a suction of gas is filled with a urethane orother elastic material and expands when an air suction portion connectedto the bag body is opened and the elastic material suctions a gas toexpand.
 7. The safety seat for children as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe fixing mechanism provided in said back rest reclining portion withrespect to the child has a wearable vest-shaped fixing portion.
 8. Thesafety seat for children as claimed in claim 7, wherein said wearablefixing portion has an air cushion at least in a portion of therof. 9.The safety seat for children as claimed in claim 7, wherein the back endof a crotch strap fixing belt is attached to a back side of the wearablefixing portion so that the opposite end of said crotch strap fixing beltis connected to a front side of the wearable fixing portion.
 10. Thesafety seat for children as claimed in claim 7, wherein the wearablefixing portion is combined with a fixing portion that includes pants.11. The safety seat for children as claimed in claim 7, wherein thewearable fixing portion is adapted to be attached to and detached fromsaid back rest reclining portion.
 12. The safety seat for children asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing mechanism with respect to thechild comprises a multi-point supporting fixing belt 3.